eTeknixhttp://www.eteknix.com
Delivering the very best technology content for the US, and the world!Tue, 03 Mar 2015 21:59:55 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1Quadriplegic Woman Flies F-35 Jet Fighter Simulator with Her Mindhttp://www.eteknix.com/quadriplegic-woman-flies-f-35-jet-fighter-simulator-mind/
http://www.eteknix.com/quadriplegic-woman-flies-f-35-jet-fighter-simulator-mind/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 21:58:37 +0000http://www.eteknix.com/?p=158583A 55-year-old quadriplegic woman has flown a F-35 Joint Strike Fighter simulator using only her mind. Jan Scheuermann, who was paralysed years ago by a rare genetic disease, is a patient of an experimental Pentagon robotics program. As part of the program, she has electrodes implanted in her brain which allowed her to control an […]

A 55-year-old quadriplegic woman has flown a F-35 Joint Strike Fighter simulator using only her mind. Jan Scheuermann, who was paralysed years ago by a rare genetic disease, is a patient of an experimental Pentagon robotics program. As part of the program, she has electrodes implanted in her brain which allowed her to control an artificial arm. The same technology then allowed the Pentagon initiative, run by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), to hook Scheuermann’s brain directly into the F-35 simulator.

The Director of DARPA, Arati Prabhakar, revealed the breakthrough during the Future of War conference last week. “Instead of thinking about controlling a joystick, which is what our ace pilots do when they’re driving this thing, Jan’s thinking about controlling the airplane directly,” said Prabhakar. “For someone who’s never flown — she’s not a pilot in real life — she’s flying that simulator directly from her neural signalling.”

“In doing this work, we’ve also opened this door,” she continued. “We can now see a future where we can free the brain from the limitations of the human body and I think we can all imagine amazing good things and amazing potential bad things that are on the other side of that door.”

Scheuermann says she’s proud to be involved in the pioneering study, telling CBS, “I’ve always believed there’s a purpose to my illness. I didn’t think I would ever find out what it was in my lifetime.”

“And here came this study where they needed me. You know, they couldn’t just pick any Tom, Dick or Harry off the street. In a few years, the quadriplegics and the amputees that this is going to help — the Department of Defense is funding some of this for vets — to be of use to them, in service to them, what an honour.”

]]>http://www.eteknix.com/quadriplegic-woman-flies-f-35-jet-fighter-simulator-mind/feed/0Google Getting Ready to Launch LTE-A Mobile Network?http://www.eteknix.com/google-getting-ready-launch-lte-mobile-network/
http://www.eteknix.com/google-getting-ready-launch-lte-mobile-network/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 21:52:40 +0000http://www.eteknix.com/?p=158624Big things are happening in the world of mobile devices, as Google LTE-A is preparing to hit the market, the “next generation cellular network, brought to you by Google.” This is huge news, although not particularly unexpected. Google have already pushed their way into many parts of the market with their wide range of products and since their […]

Big things are happening in the world of mobile devices, as Google LTE-A is preparing to hit the market, the “next generation cellular network, brought to you by Google.”

This is huge news, although not particularly unexpected. Google have already pushed their way into many parts of the market with their wide range of products and since their broadband is some of the fastest in the world, it looks like they’re preparing to do the same for mobile connections.

Google LTE-A will be a big move for Google and while they already have their established Nexus devices, they will soon have their own network to go with them. What remains to be seen is if it really is their own network, or if they’re going to operate as an MVNO.

A Twitter account has been created for the service, but as yet, there are no tweets; certainly a Twitter account you’ll want to keep an eye on.

]]>http://www.eteknix.com/google-getting-ready-launch-lte-mobile-network/feed/0Battlefield 4 Winter Patch Rolls Out, Brings Helicopter Physics and Mantle Optimizationshttp://www.eteknix.com/battlefield-4-winter-patch-rolls-brings-helicopter-physics-mantle-optimizations/
http://www.eteknix.com/battlefield-4-winter-patch-rolls-brings-helicopter-physics-mantle-optimizations/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 21:24:10 +0000http://www.eteknix.com/?p=158589The long-awaited winter patch for Battlefield 4 has just been released by DICE. The change log states that the patch brings AMD Mantle optimizations and a few graphical improvements aimed at PC users. Also, the patch brings a new game mode, namely Squad Obliteration. Anti-cheat measures have seen a few improvements as well, along with changes […]

The long-awaited winter patch for Battlefield 4 has just been released by DICE. The change log states that the patch brings AMD Mantle optimizations and a few graphical improvements aimed at PC users.

Also, the patch brings a new game mode, namely Squad Obliteration. Anti-cheat measures have seen a few improvements as well, along with changes to the combat system and some minor fixes throughout the game.

A key feature seems to be the new real helicopter physics, allowing players to perform barrel rolls and loops. The complete patch itself is said to weigh in at around 1.34 GB.

The complete change log can be viewed below:

GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS

Added Squad Obliteration game mode

Added support for New player servers (rank 10 and down)

Added support for matchmaking into ranked servers (in addition to standard official)

Various anti-cheat improvements implemented

In combat system now temporarily disables squad spawning when squad mate is in combat

In combat system now temporarily disables Medic Bag healing based on damage taken and incoming suppression increase

In combat system now temporarily disables First Aid Kit healing based on damage taken

Decouple vehicle aiming from turning option added

Added Mastery Dog tags for several weapons that were previously missing

PS4/XBOX ONE – Fixed a case where the Battledash would not show after signing out of a profile while in the rent-a-server section

PS4/XBOX ONE – Fixed naming inconsistency with the server browser and quick match for Conquest Large

Xbox One – Fixed an issue where the user would sometimes not enter friends online session when joining through ‘Friends List’

Xbox One – Fixed an issue where Digital Premium Edition did not give premium access on Battlelog

X360 – Fixed an issue where performing a sign-in change during game would sometimes result in endless black loading screen

X360 – Fixed an issue where multiple users in the same squad would crash if the squad leader disconnected from a full server

Added option for player to separately toggle the slowdown and auto rotation components of aim assist. Server admins can now enforce a disable of the auto rotation component on ranked servers

All consoles – Fixed an issue where it was not possible to join a rented server that had a password set

AUDIO

Footsteps: Significantly improved audio of footsteps for enemies and friendlies so that they can clearly be heard. Also fixed an issue where grenades explosions or other loud sounds would mute footstep sounds

Fixed an issue where EOR music would not play in CTF

PC – TDM/SQDM: ‘Tension music’ now correctly playing for all teams in TDM and SQDM

ART

Updated the shading for many of the Dog tag country flags to make them more accurate

Animation: Cleaned up fast side to side movement of the character in third person

Fixed an issue where tracers would incorrectly show up on bullet impacts

USER INTERFACE

Fixed an issue where the soldier camouflage selected would change to default between rounds

Fixed the cropped “Ready” status on the F-35 and J-20 fighter jets so that it is now fully visible

Fixed a HUD related issue that would sometimes occur when players on the same server would use the FLIR/IRNV

Dog tags will now display stats both in game and in menus

Several hit indicator and crosshair improvements

Fixed an issue where a player’s health is displayed incorrectly when they get hit while regenerating health

Updated HUD Logic for several weapons so that they show “overheat” messages correctly

Tweaked Jet HUDs to be more clear

Improved scout helicopter crosshairs

All consoles – Removed an incorrect reference to parachute in the customization screen

]]>http://www.eteknix.com/battlefield-4-winter-patch-rolls-brings-helicopter-physics-mantle-optimizations/feed/0Microsoft Demos Windows 10 Apps Running on Xbox Onehttp://www.eteknix.com/microsoft-demos-windows-10-apps-running-xbox-one/
http://www.eteknix.com/microsoft-demos-windows-10-apps-running-xbox-one/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 20:58:40 +0000http://www.eteknix.com/?p=158526Microsoft has teased us with universally usable apps across all platforms since the introduction of Windows 10, but without any details of how it would work or look. That has finally changed now at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Microsoft’s technical lead for Windows universal apps, Kevin Gallo, demonstrated Windows 10 universal apps on […]

Microsoft has teased us with universally usable apps across all platforms since the introduction of Windows 10, but without any details of how it would work or look. That has finally changed now at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Microsoft’s technical lead for Windows universal apps, Kevin Gallo, demonstrated Windows 10 universal apps on Xbox One, but the showcase wasn’t so much about a specific app or tool but rather to demonstrate the scalable and adaptive user interface that Windows 10 will bring along. It will make it easier for universal apps to run across all platforms including PCs, phones, tablets, and TV screens via the Xbox One.

Microsoft will detail its further plans at the upcoming Build developer conference in April and we can then expect developers to start building their Xbox One apps over the summer.

Another thing revealed at the demonstration was Microsoft’s plans to use hosted web apps in Windows 10. While those would possess limitations, the backend that they would be built on, would also allow these to be easily ported to full universal apps that would run on all Windows 10 platforms.

]]>http://www.eteknix.com/microsoft-demos-windows-10-apps-running-xbox-one/feed/0COUGAR’s 700 Series Now Available in the UKhttp://www.eteknix.com/cougars-700-series-now-available-uk/
http://www.eteknix.com/cougars-700-series-now-available-uk/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 19:58:22 +0000http://www.eteknix.com/?p=158485COUGAR has created some great peripherals, but they haven’t been widely available in the UK up until now, at least not all of them. Now you’ll be able to get your hands on the great 700M 8200dpi Black Gaming Mouse as well as the 700K Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. The 700K is a premium aluminum keyboard […]

COUGAR has created some great peripherals, but they haven’t been widely available in the UK up until now, at least not all of them. Now you’ll be able to get your hands on the great 700M 8200dpi Black Gaming Mouse as well as the 700K Mechanical Gaming Keyboard.

The 700K is a premium aluminum keyboard that won the iF Design Award 2014. The design is based on carefully selected geometrical shapes, mechanical key modules are mounted on an exposed aluminum structure with premium anodized surface treatments and a plastic frame wraps its ends to create a stylish, sturdy and durable device.

The 700M gaming mouse also won the iF Design Award 2014 and comes with an adjustable 8200dpi sensor. It is built on a simple folded aluminium chassis to provide better strength and a lightweight design. The palm rest module can be replaced and comes fitted with ‘sniper button’.

If you’d like to read up on what the 700K Mechanical Keyboard has to offer, then you can head right over to our review section and see what we had to say about it. If you’d like to pick one of them up, you can head over to one of the UK resellers: CCLonline, eBuyer, or Aria PC.

]]>http://www.eteknix.com/cougars-700-series-now-available-uk/feed/0Tim Cook Praises Snowden, Responds to Questions About Apple Carhttp://www.eteknix.com/tim-cook-praises-snowden-responds-questions-apple-car/
http://www.eteknix.com/tim-cook-praises-snowden-responds-questions-apple-car/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 18:58:37 +0000http://www.eteknix.com/?p=158491In case you hadn’t noticed, Apple’s Tim Cook has been on a global tour recently, visiting many places in Europe, including Germany and the UK, as well as other countries such as Israel. In Germany, he sat down to talk with BILD, one of the country’s biggest newspapers. In that interview, cook made some interesting […]

In case you hadn’t noticed, Apple’s Tim Cook has been on a global tour recently, visiting many places in Europe, including Germany and the UK, as well as other countries such as Israel. In Germany, he sat down to talk with BILD, one of the country’s biggest newspapers. In that interview, cook made some interesting remarks on a variety of issues, most intriguing were about Edward Snowden and also those rumours about an Apple car!

As for Snowden, Cook effectively praised the former NSA contractor, who in 2013 leaked thousands of classified documents revealing details about the US government’s spying programme. Cook, who is frequently heard talking about privacy issues, likened Snowden’s efforts to Apple’s values.

“If Snowden did anything for us at all, then it was to get us to talk more about these things. [Apple’s] values have always been the same.”

It really is quite significant that the CEO of the world’s largest company has praised a man some call a traitor. Snowden is a fugitive in the eyes of the US, and for Cook to associate his company with him like that is a big deal.

Beyond privacy, Cook was also pressed on future products, namely an Apple car. Recently we’ve seen a flurry of rumours suggesting that the company is hard at work producing a vehicle. The Wall Street Journal published extensive details, saying that there is a ‘Project Titan’ underway at Apple, with at least 1,000 employees working on it.

“We are still secretive about our coming products. So if you ask me what we are working on I’m not going to answer this question.” Asked about the Apple car, he replied simply: “I have read the rumours. I can’t comment on it.”

Ahh, not exactly a revelation, but interesting that he didn’t outright deny such a project. If a car was completely out of the question, Cook may well have laughed it off.

]]>http://www.eteknix.com/tim-cook-praises-snowden-responds-questions-apple-car/feed/0Kingston Cloud II Gaming Headset Reviewhttp://www.eteknix.com/kingston-cloud-ii-gaming-headset-review/
http://www.eteknix.com/kingston-cloud-ii-gaming-headset-review/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 17:58:39 +0000http://www.eteknix.com/?p=155076Introduction Kingston is one of the biggest names in the PC industry, they’ve got a rock-solid reputation for creating some of the best and most popular storage devices on the market, such as their HyperX range of DDR memory and SSDs. They took the gaming world by storm with the release of their incredible Cloud […]

Introduction

Kingston is one of the biggest names in the PC industry, they’ve got a rock-solid reputation for creating some of the best and most popular storage devices on the market, such as their HyperX range of DDR memory and SSDs. They took the gaming world by storm with the release of their incredible Cloud gaming headset and while we suspected they couldn’t possibly make the original Cloud even better, Kingston seems to think otherwise.

“HyperX® Cloud II features a newly designed USB sound card audio control box that amplifies audio and voice for an optimal Hi-Fi gaming experience, so you can hear what you’ve been missing. Open up a world of detail other gamers will never know – the rustle of a camper’s boot, the scuttle in a distant vent. Its independent audio and microphone volume control lets you adjust not only sound volume but also mic volume and easily toggle Surround Sound 7.1 or the mic sound on and off. This next-generation headset generates virtual 7.1 surround sound with distance and depth to enhance your gaming, movie or music experience. Pinpoint your opponents’ location in the game and strike before he sees you coming.”

The Cloud II is the latest incarnation of their Cloud series pro gaming headsets. It promises improved performance and a very competitive price tag. It offers support for PC, Mac and PlayStation 4, with added bonus features such as virtual 7.1 surround. It certainly ticks a lot of boxes, so let’s stop beating around the bush and take a close look at what it has to offer.

In the box, you’ll find everything you need to get you started, as well as a few bonus extras such as the protective bag, soft fabric ear pads, detachable microphone and the 2-to-1 3.5mm adapter.

The in-line controller comes fitted with a gold-plated USB connection on one end and a 3.5mm connector port on the other. It’s not the most complicated controller ever, but it does give you quick command over game and chat volumes, as well as the virtual surround functions.

The microphone boom is fully flexible and adjustable, with a sturdy 3.5mm jack plug and a large foam windshield.

The headset its self is pretty understated in terms of design. You’ve got the matte finish on the ear cups, with a brushed aluminium back plate; aside from a few silver highlights it’s a fairly basic design overall.

The ear cups can be angle adjusted slightly to allow a better fit over your ears.

The sturdy headband adjustment slider has a good range to it, so user compatibility should be pretty high.

The ear cups are quite large and designed to fit over the ear. The soft leather pads come pre-fitted, but they can be removed and swapped out for the soft fabric covers that were included in the box.

The basic 3.5mm cable comes hard-wired into the bottom of the headset and there’s a small protective cover over the microphone connector, perfect for when you just want to use the headset as headphones.

The headband comes with a stitched HyperX logo and is really nicely finished, it’s also in keeping with the smart and understated design of the rest of the headset.

The microphone fits in easy enough and the thick mould around the 3.5mm jack plug helps lock it firmly into place.

]]>http://www.eteknix.com/kingston-cloud-ii-gaming-headset-review/feed/1Netgear Reveals 450Mbps LTE Mobile Hotspothttp://www.eteknix.com/netgear-reveals-450mbps-lte-mobile-hotspot/
http://www.eteknix.com/netgear-reveals-450mbps-lte-mobile-hotspot/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 15:58:58 +0000http://www.eteknix.com/?p=158478Netgear will demonstrate their first 450Mbps LTE mobile hotspot this week at the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona. The new hotspot is the first of Netgear’s to support the category 9 LTE Advanced technology and will be released under the AirCard series. The AirCard mobile hotspot supports 4G LTE Advanced Category 9 and 3-Carrier […]

Netgear will demonstrate their first 450Mbps LTE mobile hotspot this week at the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona. The new hotspot is the first of Netgear’s to support the category 9 LTE Advanced technology and will be released under the AirCard series.

The AirCard mobile hotspot supports 4G LTE Advanced Category 9 and 3-Carrier Aggregation. It aggregates up to three bands to provide up to 60 MHz of bandwidth for a potential download speed up to 450 Mbps. The hotspot is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon X12 LTE modem and a QCA6174 2-stream 802.11ac Wi-Fi chipset. Availability is set for later in 2015 from multiple unspecified service providers.

While LTE doesn’t have the best coverage yet, this mobile hotspot would be a great thing to have when located in a coverage sweet-spot. It would truly eliminate the need for those long outdated copper lines that still are being used in most areas.

]]>http://www.eteknix.com/netgear-reveals-450mbps-lte-mobile-hotspot/feed/0Jony Ive and Elon Musk ‘Inseparable’ at Oscars After Partyhttp://www.eteknix.com/jony-ive-elon-musk-inseparable-oscars-party/
http://www.eteknix.com/jony-ive-elon-musk-inseparable-oscars-party/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 14:58:38 +0000http://www.eteknix.com/?p=158482AppleInsider reports that Apple’s Jony Ive and Tesla founder Elon Musk were seen talking to each other at Madonna’s exclusive Oscars after party. They say that they were “basically inseparable” and “really close”. The news comes at a time where Apple is rumoured to be building a car of its own, with suggestions that they may be looking […]

AppleInsider reports that Apple’s Jony Ive and Tesla founder Elon Musk were seen talking to each other at Madonna’s exclusive Oscars after party. They say that they were “basically inseparable” and “really close”. The news comes at a time where Apple is rumoured to be building a car of its own, with suggestions that they may be looking at purchasing Musk’s Tesla Motors.

While the fact that the two were merely talking to each other is interesting, it’s also intriguing that Ive and Musk reportedly left the event together at 5am. It’s worth pointing out that these details are based on things said only by an anonymous source, as no pictures or video were allowed at the party.

Could they have been plotting a future Apple/Tesla deal, or were they simply discussing how much they love the buffet? We don’t know, but it would have been amazing to be a fly-on-the-wall at that party.

]]>http://www.eteknix.com/jony-ive-elon-musk-inseparable-oscars-party/feed/0Crucial MX200 1TB Solid State Drive Reviewhttp://www.eteknix.com/crucial-mx200-1tb-solid-state-drive-review/
http://www.eteknix.com/crucial-mx200-1tb-solid-state-drive-review/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 13:21:28 +0000http://www.eteknix.com/?p=155730Introduction Crucial recently launched the MX200 series solid state drives and we’ve already had a look at the 250GB model here a little while ago. Today I’m taking a closer look at the big brother, the Crucial MX200 1TB solid state drive. “We designed the MX200 and BX100 to meet the varied needs of the […]

Introduction

Crucial recently launched the MX200 series solid state drives and we’ve already had a look at the 250GB model here a little while ago. Today I’m taking a closer look at the big brother, the Crucial MX200 1TB solid state drive.

“We designed the MX200 and BX100 to meet the varied needs of the market, making it easier for anyone to move to an SSD, whether they are a seasoned computer enthusiast or an absolute beginner, all while keeping value top of mind,” said Jonathan Weech, senior worldwide product manager, Crucial. “These drives leverage Micron’s years of heritage in storage technology to deliver advanced features and performance, resulting in an unparalleled SSD experience for our consumers.”

The Crucial MX200 1TB SATA 6Gb/s 2.5-inch client SSD is the next generation and follow-up to the highly successful and recommended MX100 series.

The Crucial MX200 series can perform sequential reads on both compressible and incompressible data with up to 555 MB/s which in itself is very impressive. Crucial adds to that with an endurance rating of 320TB total bytes written (TBW), which equals to 175GB per day for 5 years.

While the little brother relied on the Dynamic Write Acceleration to keep up the speeds, both the 500GB and 1TB models don’t require this. The can still perform great with up to 100K random read IOPS and up to 87K write IOPS.

Crucial’s RAIN technology protects your data at the component level, similar to how RAID works. This technology increases the security and protection of your data to a level that’s rarely seen in consumer-class SSDs.

Hardware encryption is also supported via AES 256-bit encryption, so all those private files can stay safe from hackers and other bad people. The Adaptive Thermal Protection technology enables the Crucial MX200 to dynamically adjust storage component activity based on how you’re using the drive, thereby allowing your storage to stay cooler.

The Crucial MX200 also features four layers of Exclusive Data Defense to prevent data corruption as well as being backed by a 3-year warranty.

Where the 250GB model only required the use of one side of the PCB, this 1TB model needs both sides and we find eight Micron NAND chips on each side. The cache has also been doubled while the controller stays the Marvel 88SS9189.

]]>http://www.eteknix.com/crucial-mx200-1tb-solid-state-drive-review/feed/0Fear the Wind No More with These Windscreens for Your Smartphonehttp://www.eteknix.com/fear-wind-no-windscreens-smartphone/
http://www.eteknix.com/fear-wind-no-windscreens-smartphone/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 12:58:47 +0000http://www.eteknix.com/?p=158474For a while now, smartphones have had built-in software that eliminates background noise caught by the microphone, but the one thing it hasn’t fully tackled is wind. Which is why we still see foam covers over most microphones on big headsets used at outdoor events. Ever think that would be great to have for your […]

For a while now, smartphones have had built-in software that eliminates background noise caught by the microphone, but the one thing it hasn’t fully tackled is wind. Which is why we still see foam covers over most microphones on big headsets used at outdoor events. Ever think that would be great to have for your phone? Now you can thanks to Windblockers.

Designed to gently clamp onto the edge of a smartphone, or a tablet if you must, it will prevent wind, “weather” it’s a gust or constant breeze, from overpowering your voice, and making sure your important words get heard. Being so small and easily removed, this is a nifty addition when you need it most.

Only recently revealed at Mobile World Congress, they don’t have a price yet, but hopes are that they won’t cost much.

]]>http://www.eteknix.com/fear-wind-no-windscreens-smartphone/feed/0Win One of Three Turtle Beach Z60 Gaming Headsets!http://www.eteknix.com/win-one-three-turtle-beach-z60-gaming-headsets/
http://www.eteknix.com/win-one-three-turtle-beach-z60-gaming-headsets/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 12:01:26 +0000http://www.eteknix.com/?p=158492It’s competition time once again folks! We’ve teamed up with the very awesome people at Turtle Beach to offer you a chance to win one of three stunning Turtle Beach EArforce Z60 DTS Headphone X ready Headsets! We reviewed the Z60 headset just a few weeks ago and loved its range of features and capabilities […]

It’s competition time once again folks! We’ve teamed up with the very awesome people at Turtle Beach to offer you a chance to win one of three stunning Turtle Beach EArforce Z60 DTS Headphone X ready Headsets!

We reviewed the Z60 headset just a few weeks ago and loved its range of features and capabilities for competitive gaming. If you use a headset a lot for team chat, then you’ll really enjoy the quality microphone and separate game/chat volume controls.

We’ve got three of these to give away, giving you even more chances to win!

Be sure to like Turtle Beach on Facebook to ensure you can stay up to date with all the latest details of their products, as well as the winner announcement of the competition, as well as future competitions! You can also like eTeknix on Facebook to track our latest news and competitions.

]]>http://www.eteknix.com/win-one-three-turtle-beach-z60-gaming-headsets/feed/0Tidal Lagoons to Be Used for Power in the UKhttp://www.eteknix.com/tidal-lagoons-used-power-uk/
http://www.eteknix.com/tidal-lagoons-used-power-uk/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 11:58:54 +0000http://www.eteknix.com/?p=158471With all the hoopla surrounding energy and making it clean and renewable, one oft forgotten source, the sea, is getting its fair chance again thanks to Tidal Lagoon Power. The company is set to build six total structures, with four alone being located in Wales. These plants will harness powerful coastal tides and eventually generate […]

With all the hoopla surrounding energy and making it clean and renewable, one oft forgotten source, the sea, is getting its fair chance again thanks to Tidal Lagoon Power. The company is set to build six total structures, with four alone being located in Wales. These plants will harness powerful coastal tides and eventually generate up to eight percent of the total power in the UK.

Backed by energy secretary Ed Davey, the company has already started working on a £1 billion plant in Swansea. Despite it being one of the smallest installations, the lagoon will cover five miles across and two miles of sea. Not only will this lagoon provide power, but a nice destination for locals. As tidal levels rise and fall throughout the day, the large space of water will drive turbines set into the walls of the lagoon.

The £30 billion investment needed to build these lagoons will be met by tax payers, as the UK is keen on backing renewable energy sources. Beyond Swansea, in Wales, Cardiff, Newport, and Colwyn Bay will host the lagoons. Outside of Wales, lagoons will be built in Bridgewater Bay, Somerset, and West Cumbria.

With the high predictability of sea movements, tidal power has a promising future, so long as we have no crazy lunar events. This differs from wind turbines which can stall on calmer days, or solar panels that only achieve maximum output on sunny days. The only resistance so far comes from marine experts, one in particular being fish sucked into the turbines. However, Tidal Lagoon Power feels the opposite, that the lagoons will create artificial reefs, thus benefiting local ecosystems.

When it comes to how much to charge for the electricity, the estimated price for the plant in Cardiff is £90-£95 per MWh, which is on par with what the nuclear station in Hinkley charges, £92.50. With these lagoons lasting for up to 120 years, and having very low risk factors, the UK government just might have struck gold.

]]>http://www.eteknix.com/tidal-lagoons-used-power-uk/feed/1Snowden Documentary Citizenfour Now Streaming Online for Freehttp://www.eteknix.com/snowden-documentary-citizenfour-now-streaming-online-free/
http://www.eteknix.com/snowden-documentary-citizenfour-now-streaming-online-free/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 10:58:03 +0000http://www.eteknix.com/?p=158463Citizenfour, the Academy Award-winning documentary about NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, has been made available for online streaming, free of charge. The film is being hosted by Thought Maybe, a website that aims to tackle “issues surrounding modern society, industrial civilisation, globalised dominant culture.” The documentary was directed by Laura Poitras, a filmmaker placed on a […]

Citizenfour, the Academy Award-winning documentary about NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, has been made available for online streaming, free of charge. The film is being hosted by Thought Maybe, a website that aims to tackle “issues surrounding modern society, industrial civilisation, globalised dominant culture.”

The documentary was directed by Laura Poitras, a filmmaker placed on a US government watchlist after her 2006 film My Country, My Country, for which she became involved with possible Sunni insurgent Riyadh al-Adhadh. The name Citizenfour was the pseudonym used by Snowden when he first contacted Poitras with sensitive information regarding Prism, the US National Security Agency’s (NSA) mass internet surveillance program.

]]>http://www.eteknix.com/snowden-documentary-citizenfour-now-streaming-online-free/feed/0Homer Simpson Predicts Mass of Higgs Boson 14 Years Before It Was Disocoveredhttp://www.eteknix.com/homer-simpson-predicts-mass-of-higgs-boson-14-years-before-it-was-disocovered/
http://www.eteknix.com/homer-simpson-predicts-mass-of-higgs-boson-14-years-before-it-was-disocovered/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 10:50:36 +0000http://www.eteknix.com/?p=158520The Simpsons has many claims to its name. It’s one of the most popular TV shows in the world and has run for an incredible 26 seasons with more on the way. Now it’s going down as a side note in science books, as it seems Homer Simpson is quite the unlikely scientist! He may […]

The Simpsons has many claims to its name. It’s one of the most popular TV shows in the world and has run for an incredible 26 seasons with more on the way. Now it’s going down as a side note in science books, as it seems Homer Simpson is quite the unlikely scientist!

He may have been into space, traveled through time and more, but all this was in the realm of a cartoon. However, there was one episode that featured some very real world mathematics, which very closely predicted the mass of the elusive Higgs Boson particle – 14 years before it was actually discovered!

“The Simpsons is the most mathematical TV show on prime-time television in history. A lot of the writers on The Simpsons are mathematicians,” said Simon Singh, the author of The Simpsons and their Mathematical Secrets. “That equation predicts the mass of the Higgs boson. If you work it out, you get the mass of a Higgs boson that’s only a bit larger than the nano-mass of a Higgs boson actually is. It’s kind of amazing as Homer makes this prediction 14 years before it was discovered.” he added.

There’s a lot of hidden messages in the Simpsons, but this is by far one of the best ever. I wonder if the writer who made up the equation knew he was onto something?